After the discussion and lecture on Friday, I feel obligated to reconsider some of my view of Near Death Experiences. Initially, I saw the Reverend as a biased source, using NDE’s to promote his religion over others, but as the lecture went on, I saw him as a man who was struggling to give voice to a section of the population that longs for some confirmation of their collective experience.
The stories that Reverend Price brought forth were astounding, and although I did not believe many of them, I developed a new understanding of the importance of NDE’s. For example, I cannot believe the stories about men and women who have had NDE’s also having supernatural powers, such as draining IPhone batteries, or diagnosing diseases with a 100% success rate. However, I can believe in NDE’s being such powerful experiences that they give men and women new hope and drive to thrive in our chaotic modern society. I was moved by the Reverend’s story about the boy who was struck with lightning, and who was so affected that he did not speak for over a years before the Reverand himself asked him about his experience. The boy described Angels standing over him, and guarding him from the lightning. I think these are wonderful visions that are further evidence of the link between our brain and religion. Our brain is able to create images and visions that coincide with the beliefs we hold most dear. In Reverend Price’s discussions with non-Christian experiencers of NDE’s many of them stated they had seen their father; or the person that was most loving in their family. Our brain takes what we hold closest to our hearts, and uses those sentiments in our most dire moments, creating visions of parents, Angels, or psychedelic butterfly rides.
I believe there is a link between the charismatic healer phenomenon of Greatrakes, Mesmer, Tribal Shamans, and the lady who was endowed with the ability to diagnose any disease or malady. If you confidently suggest an explanation or cure, you are exerting incredible influence on whomever is suffering from the affliction. I believe the pastor was influenced by the woman’s suggestion of his knee infection, perhaps even more than most, due to his firm belief in NDE’s.
I felt that the pastors use of the Gallup poll of the 1980’s was a bit misleading, as it actually recorded how many Americans had come very extremely to death. It was not asking whether they had experienced an NDE, which is a multistep event, (a tunnel, an out of body experience, a bright light, a life review, an understanding that it is not yet their time, and a return to the body). I cannot disprove any of the Reverend’s stories, nor explain them mechanistically using the physical laws of our universe, thus they lie in the vitalistic realm of “nonsense”. They are unbelievable and often times nonsensical; however, they are so widespread and consistent in nature that it would be foolish to deny them completely. I will satisfy myself with the knowledge that human power of belief far outstretches the limits of modern science, and therefore should not yet be understood mechanistically. These experiences are life defining for men and women across the world, and should be given the due respect that the Reverand has attributed them. Many of these people are just looking for someone to speak with, who can partially understand what they went through, and how significant it was to their life.
